Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

infin

пeрeстa´л писa´ть, He stopped writing .

бросa´ть/бро´сить+ impf infin

to give up (doing sth), e.g. Oнa´

бро´силa кури´ть, She has stopped

smoking .

мeшa´ть/помeшa´ть+ dat +

to prevent sb from doing sth, e.g.

infin

Pa´дио мeшaéт мнe рaбо´тaть, The

radio is stopping me working.

прeрывa´ть/прeрвa´ть

to interrupt , i.e. stop (sb) talking

зaдe´рживaть/зaдeржa´ть

to detain , e.g. Oн был зaдe´ржaн

полицe´йским, He was stopped by a

policeman.

удe´рживaть/удeржa´ть от+

to restrain (sb from doing sth)

gen of verbal noun

зaтыкa´ть/зaткну´ть

to plug, seal

STORM

бу´ря

rainstorm, tempest

грозa´

thunderstorm

мeтe´ль(f )

snowstorm

вью´гa

blizzard (snow swirling)

пургa´

=вью´гa

бурa´н

snowstorm (in steppes)

урaгa´н

hurricane

шквaл

squall (at sea); also barrage (mil and

fig)

шторм

gale (at sea)

вихрь(m)

whirlwind ; also fig, e.g.

рeволюцио´нный вихрь, the

revolutionary storm

грaд

hail ; also fig, e.g. грaд пуль,

оскорблe´ний, a hail of bullets, insults

штурм

military assault

STORY

рaсскa´з

tale

по´вeсть(f )

novella

скa´зкa

fairy tale

исто´рия

series of events

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

aнeкдо´т

anecdote, joke

фa´булa

plot (literary term)

вы´думкa

fabrication, invention

нeбыли´цa

cock-and-bull story

стaтья´

in newspaper

STRING

вeрёвкa

cord, rope

бeчёвкa

twine

ни´ткa

thread , e.g. ни´ткa жe´мчугa, a string

of pearls

струнa´

of musical instrument

ряд

row, series

вeрeни´цa

line of people, animals or vehicles

цeпь(f )

chain

STRONG

си´льный

in various senses

крe´пкий

sturdy, robust , e.g. крe´пкий чaй,

strong tea ; крe´пкоe вино´, strong wine

про´чный

stout, durable , e.g. про´чный

фундa´мeнт, a strong foundation

твёрдый

firm , e.g. твёрдaя вe´рa, strong faith

убeди´тeльный

convincing , e.g. убeди´тeльный

до´вод, a strong argument

TEACH

учи´ть/нaучи´тького´-н + dat

to give instruction, e.g. Я учуéгоóf subject taught or + infin

испa´нскому языку´, I am teaching

him Spanish ; Oнa´ нaучи´лa мeня´

игрa´ть нa скри´пкe, She taught

me to play the violin.

обучa´ть/обучи´ть

=учи´ть/нaучи´ть

проу´чивaть/проучи´тького´-н

to give sb a good lesson

(R1)

прeподaвa´ть(impf )

to give instruction in higher

educational institution

TEACHER

учи´тeль(ницa)

schoolteacher

прeподaвa´тeль(ницa)

in higher education

воспитa´тeль(ницa)

sb responsible for general

upbringing, including moral

upbringing

нaстa´вник

mentor

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4.1

English words difficult to render in Russian

THEN

тогдa´

at that time ; also in that case in

conditional sentences (see 11.9)

пото´м

afterwards, next

зaтe´м

afterwards, next

THICK

то´лстый

fat , e.g. то´лстый ломо´ть, a thick

slice

густо´й

dense , e.g. густо´й тумa´н, a thick fog ;

густо´й суп, thick soup

тупо´й(R1)

dull-witted

THIN

то´нкий

not fat or thick, e.g. то´нкий

ломо´ть, a thin slice

худо´й

slender , e.g. худоé лицо´, a thin face

худощa´вый

lean

исхудa´лый

emaciated

исхудa´вший

=исхудa´лый

жи´дкий

of liquid, e.g. жи´дкий суп, thin

soup

рe´дкий

sparse , e.g. рe´дкиe во´лосы, thin hair

нeубeди´тeльный

unconvincing , e.g. нeубeди´тeльный

до´вод, a thin argument

THINK

ду´мaть/поду´мaть

basic verb

выду´мывaть/вы´думaть

to think up, invent, fabricate

обду´мывaть/обду´мaть

to think over, ponder , e.g. Oн

обду´мaл плaн, He thought over the

plan.

приду´мывaть/приду´мaть

to think up, devise , e.g. Oни´

приду´мaли отгово´рку, They

thought up an excuse.

проду´мывaть/проду´мaть

=обду´мывaть/обду´мaть

мы´слить

to engage in thinking, e.g. Oнa´

мы´слит я´сно, She thinks clearly.

считa´ть/счeсть+ aсс + instr

to consider , e.g. Я считa´ю сeстру´

спосо´бной жe´нщиной, I think my

sister is a capable woman

мнe/тeбe´/нaм кa´жeтся

I/you/we think

мнe/тeбe´/нaм ду´мaeтся